Coordinates: 21°43'26"N 82°35'37"E
Sheorinarayan (Janjgir-Champa) is a temple city situated about 70 kms from Bilaspur City, Sheorinarayan is a prominent religious place for the people of Chhattisgarh and Orissa. Sheorinarayan has been named after Shabri, a tribal woman who had served Lord Ram when he passed through this place with his wife Sita and brother Laxman, during his 14 year exile. A
mong the prominent temples are the Nar Narayan temple that is said to be more than 1500 years old. This temple is very big, tall and surrounded by several small temples. The idols of Nar and Narayan are inside the inner room (गर्भ गृह). There are 3 other statues in the hall of Shiv-Parvati, Ganesh and Keshav Narayan. The walls of the temple have beautiful carvings of ancient characters of the hindu mythology like Bali, Sugriv, Jay, Vijay, Gandarva, Naag, Kinnar etc. The fascinating, ancient, artistic work in and around is the speciality of this temple. There is also a Keshav Narayan Temple and a Lakhaneshwar Temple. The Shabri temple here has the idol of Shabri in the grabh grih. There is also a Jagannath Temple, that is a replica of the Jagannath Temple in Puri. It is believed that Lord Jagannath visits this place for a fortnight in the hindu month of Magh. The annual fair (मेला) is organized here during this period every year is one of the major religous events in the state of Chhattisgarh and folks converge here in the mass to seek the blessings of the deity. The Archeological Survey of India has started excavation work at Sheorinarayan. It has already uncovered the ruins of an ancient temple and several huge pillars are visible and waiting to be uncovered. Girodhpuri, the birth place of Guru Ghasidas, is across the river from here. It is a place with Mythological Importance. Related with "Shabri" who offers Ber (Cherry)to Bhagwan Sri RAM (Lord Ram). It is said that she taste each fruit before offering it, to ensure that sour fruits should not be offered to Bhagwan. Introduction to the Sheorinarayan Fair in Chhattisgarh
Sheorinarayan Fair in Chhattisgarh The small sleepy town of Sheorinarayan is the venue of the Sheorinarayan Fair. Located in the Janjgir district of Chhattisgarh, Sheorinarayan is positioned at the confluence of three rivers. The Rivers Mahanadi, Sheonath and Jonk meet here. A temple in honor of Lord Rama dating back to the 13th century is to be seen here. The conversion of temple premises into fair grounds is a fairly common trend in India. In keeping with this tradition, the Sheorinarayan temple hosts the Sheorinarayan fair. These kinds of fairs held in Chhattisgarh showcase the multihued culture of the land. Description of the Sheorinarayan Fair in Chhattisgarh
A fresh lease of life is enthused into the town of Sheorinarayan at the time of this fair. There is cheerfulness in the atmosphere of this pilgrimage centre when the fair is held. Actually the Sheorinarayan Fair in Chhattisgarh is a wonderful occasion for the devotees of Lord Rama to come and visit the temple as well as be a part of this colorful and vibrant fiesta. The followers of this legendary hero Ram offer their prayers at the Sheorinarayan temple. They have ample scope to move around and visit the various shops that are set up at the time of the fair. Drop in to any of the eating joints that are there and you will surely like the unique taste of these relatively low priced snacks. The fair ground bustles with a lot of activity and it is a treat to watch so many colorful people in such large numbers wandering about. The happy expressions on these bright faces who are so content with the little things of life give pleasure to the onlookers as well. The sights and sounds are very diverse. Time for celebrating the Sheorinarayan Fair in Chhattisgarh
The Sheorinarayan Fair is held on Magh Purnima, which is the full moon day in the month of Magh. The date is fixed following the Hindu calendar but it more or less corresponds to the month of February in the Gregorian calendar
